OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
1
Annex XXXV
Original: English
August/September 2011
REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE OIE AD HOC GROUP ON ZOONOTIC PARASITES
Paris, 30 August–1 September 2011
_______
The OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites (the ad hoc Group) met at OIE Headquarters in Paris on 30
August –1 September 2011.
The members of the ad hoc Group and other participants are listed at Annex I. The Agenda adopted is at
Annex II.
Dr Sarah Kahn, on behalf of Dr Bernard Vallat, Director General of the OIE, welcomed members to the second
meeting of the ad hoc Group. She welcomed two additional members, i.e. Dr Annamaria Bruno, from the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (CAC) secretariat, and Dr Etienne Bonbon, European Commission (DG SANCO) and
vice-President of the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission (Code Commission).
Dr Bruno outlined the CAC process for initiating new work and the proposal for new work on the development
of guidelines for the control of specific parasites: Trichinella spiralis and Cysticercus bovis, which was approved
by the CAC in July 2011. The CAC recommended that the work be risk-based (a risk profile had been developed
and a risk assessment was not necessary) and that the work of OIE be monitored to ensure that there is no
duplication of work.
A CAC physical Working Group (pWG), established by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (CCFH) met in
Ireland on 14–15 July 2011 to develop a first draft document. The pWG recommended broadening the scope of
the guidelines to all Trichinella species infecting pigs (Suidae); the document cross-references Chapter 8.13. of
the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code (Terrestrial Code) (in the section on control measures at farm level)
and the OIE Manual of Diagnostic Tests and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals (Terrestrial Manual) (in the
section on testing). The pWG agreed to wait for the development of the OIE work in trichinellosis with respect
to the conditions for official recognition of Trichinella-free herds/compartments and negligible risk for countries
in order to cross reference to these provisions and use them as a reference point for developing a risk-based
approach to the implementation of post-harvest control measures.
The draft CAC document (CX/FH 11/43/6) has been circulated for comments and will be considered by the 43rd
session of the CCFH (meeting to be held in Miami, United States of America, 5–9 December 2011).
Dr Bonbon outlined that trichinellosis is both a public health problem and a trade problem. The EU supports
work by both the OIE and the CAC in setting standards to address these problems.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
2
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
Annex XXXV (contd)
Dr Bonbon outlined the work of the EU on trichinellosis, including rules on the status of source countries/zones,
and rules on trade in meat from susceptible species. He indicated that the EU had adopted a decision and that two
countries (Denmark and Belgium) had already been declared as negligible risk for trichinellosis. He noted that
the absence of wild boar in Denmark simplifies the epidemiological situation, but foxes had nevertheless to be
tested.
Agenda item 2: addressing Member comments on Chapter 8.13. Trichinellosis
General considerations
The ad hoc Group noted the general comments made by Canada, the EU, New Zealand, Norway and the United
States of America.
Regarding New Zealand’s recommendation to use the term ‘infestation’ throughout the chapter, Dr Murrell
noted that by scientific convention, external parasites are considered to be ‘infestations’, whereas internal
parasites such as Trichinella are considered to be ‘infections’. Further, infection also applies to metazoan
parasites that multiply within the host, which is the case for Trichinella. The ad hoc Group noted that the term
‘infestation’ is used in the draft Codex document but nonetheless was unanimous in its view that ‘infection’ was
the correct term to use.
The ad hoc Group accepted the US recommendation to replace ‘farm’ with ‘herd’ throughout the text. In
addition, the word ‘equine’ was replaced by ‘equid’ throughout the text.
In response to the comments of New Zealand supporting the use of the antibody ELISA as an alternative to the
meat digestion test, the ad hoc Group noted the limitations of the serological testing methods currently available
and that there is no internationally standardised serological test validated for use at the individual animal
level.To monitor Trichinella infections in pig herds, the method and/or the antigen production, and/or reference
sera will need to be standardized by the international body ISO (International Organization for
Standardization).In the OIE Terrestrial Manual, the ELISA test is considered appropriate for use in herd
surveillance but is not considered suitable for testing individual pigs. As stated in the Manual, there is a critical
need for an international bank of reference sera to provide a common standard for Trichinella serological assays.
Noting that the International Commission on Trichinellosis (ICT) is trying to address this need, the ad hoc Group
encouraged the OIE to take whatever steps may be possible to support the ICT in this endeavour.
The recommendation of New Zealand was accepted throughout the chapter in relation to surveillance and
epidemiological investigation at the herd level but it was not accepted in relation to testing individual animals
(e.g. for the importation of pigs into a free country).
In view that the OIE is amending the titles of disease chapters in the Terrestrial Code Volume 2, the ad hoc
Group modified the title of the chapter to ‘Infection with Trichinella spp.’ This modification was considered
necessary to clarify that species additional to Trichinella spiralis are within the scope of the chapter.
In response to a comment from the EU, the ad hoc Group noted the Terrestrial Code Glossary definition of
‘wild’, and asked the OIE International Trade Department to add ‘and feral’ where needed in the text, to reflect
that the recommendations cover both wild and feral pigs and equids.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
3
Annex XXXV (contd)
In response to a comment from Dr Bruno, the ad hoc Group agreed that the OIE text should take full account of
the current CAC work on Trichinella. The draft text currently contains a reference to the CAC Code of Hygienic
Practice for Meat (CAC/RCP 58-2005) that will be modified as appropriate when the CAC work on Trichinella
is finalised. Noting that the Codex pWG has not to date included horse meat in the scope of its work, whereas
the international trade in horse meat is significant and the OIE is addressing trade measures for horse meat, the
ad hoc Group recommended that the CAC consider addressing horse meat in its future work. The Group also
considered that the issue of meat testing for the purpose of assuring food safety should be the subject of CAC
recommendations. Once the CAC document has been adopted an appropriate cross reference on meat testing
methods will be included in Chapter 8.13.
The ad hoc Group did not consider that there was an urgent need to develop specific provisions for the use of
compartmentalisation, particularly as the revised chapter now includes provisions for country and zone of
negligible risk, as well as provisions for free herds.
Revision of articles
On Article 8.13.1, in response to the EU comment, the ad hoc Group replaced the word ‘cosmopolitan’ with
‘widely distributed’. The Group also accepted a recommendation from New Zealand and modified Article
8.13.1. accordingly. The spelling of the word ‘inapparent’ was retained as this was considered to be correct. The
Group did not agree to incorporate the word ‘normally’ as this modification was not considered necessary
(trichinellosis is virtually always clinically inapparent in animals).
With respect to the EU comment on the use of curing to inactivate Trichinella in meat, Dr Murrell indicated that
the USA Code of Federal Regulations specifies a relevant method for curing meat, which is supported by
scientific publications (9CFR318.10 Chapter 3, part 318, Section 318.3.). In addition, Dr Gajadhar noted that the
Terrestrial Manual makes reference to the use of curing to inactivate Trichinella species.
The ad hoc Group considered the comments of the EU and the USA and made several modifications to the text,
including moving all the text that had previously appeared in Article 8.13.2. to Article 8.13.1.
The ad hoc Group noted and accepted a recommendation from New Zealand to include a new article dealing
with commodities considered to be safe for trade. This is consistent with the established approach to disease
chapters in the Terrestrial Code, which normally address ‘safe commodities’ in Article 2. In addition to hides,
skins, bristles, semen, embryos, oocytes, milk and milk products, the Group included a reference to ‘swine meat
and meat products processed according to the recommendations in CX/FH 11/43/6’. This reference was put in
‘square brackets’ to reflect the fact that the CAC’s work on trichinellosis is ongoing.
The ad hoc Group discussed the comments of the EU, New Zealand, Canada and the USA on Article 8.13.3. and
made appropriate modifications to the text.
The ad hoc Group discussed at some length an EU recommendation to make provision for piglets less than
five weeks of age to have access to the outdoor environment but did not agree that pigs of this age could safely
be exposed to an environment of unknown risk status for Trichinella spp. Determination of the risk presented by
the external environment depends on knowledge of both the wildlife species present and, importantly, the
Trichinella species present and their infectivity for pigs.
The ad hoc Group considered the recommendations of the EU, Norway and Canada on the need to establish
requirements for declaring a country, zone or compartment as free or as ‘negligible risk’ (the latter term
proposed by the EU). Taking as a model the recently revised Terrestrial Code Chapter 15.2. (Classical swine
fever), the Group developed two new articles, i.e. Article 8.13.4. ‘Determination of the status of Trichinella
infection in domestic pigs for a country, zone or herd’ and Article 8.13.5. ‘Country or zone with a negligible risk
of Trichinella infection in domestic pigs’.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
4
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
Annex XXXV (contd)
Article 8.13.4. sets out the prerequisites for determining the Trichinella infection status of countries, zones and
herds. The ad hoc Group considered that reporting of Trichinella infection in all animals (domestic and wildlife)
was a prerequisite requirement in order to establish the status of a country, zone or herd. Wild animals may be
infected with a wide range of Trichinella spp. However, for domestic pigs, T. spiralis is the most significant
source of infection. A point dealing with identification and traceability of domestic pigs was included in this
Article.
All members agreed that communication between Veterinary Services (VS) and Public Health Agencies (PHA)
is needed as part of the system of surveillance for Trichinella, as cases of infection in humans are an important
indicator of the presence of the infection in domestic pigs. The ad hoc Group noted that this point is well covered
in the Codex working document. A new point was added to draft Article 8.13.4. to reflect the importance of
communication between the VS and PHA.
The recommendation of New Zealand on provisions for the introduction of live pigs was addressed as a new
point in both Articles 8.13.5. and 8.13.6.
The ad hoc Group carefully considered the proposal of the EU setting out the conditions for countries and zones
to be considered ‘negligible risk’ for Trichinella spp. The Group agreed with the proposal for all prerequisite
conditions to have been in place for at least two years, based on the fact that a period less than two years is
insufficient to collect sufficient surveillance information.
There was an extensive discussion on the design of surveillance programmes to support country or zone
freedom. The ad hoc Group noted two key papers that are relevant to this discussion, i.e., Alban et al., ‘Towards
a standardised surveillance for Trichinella in the European Union’ (Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Volume 99,
Issues 2-4, 1 May 2011, Pages 148–160) and Prattley et al., ‘An Assessment of the Trichinella Status of the
United Kingdom and Recommendations on Future Surveillance’ (Report to the Food Standards Agency, 20
August 2010).
The ad hoc Group did not agree with the EU proposal to establish a numerical value for the sample size and
specific confidence level as a basis to determine that a country or zone presents negligible risk. The surveillance
strategy and design of the surveillance programme depends on the prevailing epidemiological circumstances in
and around the country or zone (which can vary from country to country), and must be planned, selected and
implemented accordingly to demonstrate the absence of Trichinella in pig populations; the Veterinary Authority
in each country must choose the strategy and options for doing this. In the absence of specific scientific studies
presented in support of the EU proposal the Group was not of the view that specific sample numbers should be
specified. In addition, the Group noted the paper of Prattley et al., which argued for alternative, simpler and less
costly, approaches to national surveillance. In this paper, evidence from surveillance of slaughter age pigs, culled
breeding pigs, horses and foxes was integrated in a ‘surveillance portfolio’, in order to demonstrate negligible
risk of Trichinella being present in domestic pigs.
There was some discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of ‘negligible risk’ and ‘country freedom’,
including the issue of whether the term ‘negligible risk’ applies to the domestic pig population, the whole
country, or the health risks to the human population arising from the animal health status. It was agreed that the
term ‘negligible risk’ applies to the domestic pig population.
The ad hoc Group also accepted a recommendation from the EU to the effect that if a herd is located in a country
or zone of negligible risk, points 2 and 3 in the original Article 8.13.6. do not apply and only one visit needs be
made, as recommended by Norway. The Group did not understand the comment made by the USA in respect of
‘testing pigs at points of concentration (i.e. slaughter plants)’, as the text already reflects the current approach to
testing, which uses the digestion method on meat samples collected at slaughter houses.
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
5
Annex XXXV (contd)
In light of the revision of the first five articles, the ad hoc Group restructured Article 8.13.6. and thereby
addressed comments from the EU, Canada and New Zealand, excepting that the comment of New Zealand on the
use of antibody ELISA was not accepted for the reasons set out above.
Noting that the Codex has not to date included horse meat in the scope of its work and that the OIE is not
undertaking any work on the topic of time/temperature parameters to inactivate larvae in horse meat, the ad hoc
Group deleted the original Article 8.13.10.
In response to the evident interest of Members in guidance on surveillance, a new Article 8.13.11. was developed
on surveillance for Trichinella.
The revised Chapter 8.13. is presented in Annex III. Due to the extensive modification and restructuring of the
previous draft text, the International Trade Department decided to present this text as a clean document (i.e.
without track changes), which should be read with the detailed report of the ad hoc Group for an explanation of
the work done.
[Note: this annex has been replaced by Annex XVII to the report of OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards
Commission which was held on 13–22 September 2011.]
Agenda item 3: address Member comments on Chapter 8.4. Echinococcus/hydatidosis
Due to lack of time the ad hoc Group did not address Member comments on the draft Chapter 8.4.
Echinococcus/hydatidosis. It was agreed that a meeting would be held, if possible, in December 2011 to carry
out this review.
Agenda item 4: draft a new chapter on porcine cysticercosis
Due to lack of time, the ad hoc Group did not start any new work on porcine cysticercosis. It was agreed that this
topic could be addressed at a future meeting.
__________________________
.../Annexes
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
7
Annex XXXV (contd)
Annex I
MEETING OF THE OIE AD HOC GROUP ON ZOONOTIC PARASITES
Paris (France), 30 August–1 September 2011
_______
List of participants
MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC GROUP
Dr K. Darwin Murrell (Chair)
Dr Katinka de Balogh
Honorary Professor
Senior Officer (Veterinary Public Health)
Department of Veterinary Disease Biology Animal Health Service
Faculty of Life Sciences - University of
Animal Production and Health Division Copenhagen
FAO
Dyrlaegevej 100, 2
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
1870 Frederiksberg
00153 Rome
DENMARK
ITALY
kdmurrell@comcast.net
Phone: +39-0657056110
katinka.debalogh@fao.org
Prof. Allal Dakkak
Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire
Hassan II, Département de Pathologie et
Santé Publique Vétérinaire
BP 6202, Rabat-Institute
MOROCCO
Tel.: (212.537) 77.64.32 Fax: (212.537)
77.64.32
a.dakkak@iav.ac.ma
Prof. Jean Dupouy-Camet
Responsable Centre National de
Référence des Trichinella
1st Vice President of the European
Federation of Parasitologists
Service de Parasitologie-Mycologie,
Hôpital Cochin,
27 rue du Fbrg St Jacques
75014 Paris
FRANCE
Tel.: 33 1 584 12 251
Fax: 33 1 584 12 245
jean.dupouy-camet@cch.ap-hop-paris.fr
Dr Alvin Gajadhar
Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CentreDr David Jenkins
for Food Borne and Animal Parasitology, Senior Research Fellow in Parasitology
116 Veterinary Road, Saskatoon,
School of Animal & Veterinary Sciences
Saskatchewan S7N 2R3
Charles Sturt University,
CANADA
Locked Bag 588
Tel.: (1.306) 975.53.44
Wagga Wagga
Fax: (1.306) 975.57.11
NSW 2678
alvin.gajadhar@inspection.gc.ca
AUSTRALIA
Tel.: 02 6933 4179
Dr Simone Magnino
Professor Samson Mukaratirwa
Fax: 02 6933 2991
Scientist
Head: School of Biological and
djjenkins@csu.edu.au
Department of Food Safety and Zoonoses Conservation Sciences
(FOS)
University of KwaZulu-Natal
World Health Organization
Private Bag X54001, Durban 4000,
Room L221
SOUTH AFRICA
20, Avenue Appia, CH-1211
Tel.: +27 31 260 1338
Geneva 27
Fax: +27 31 260 8641/2029
SWITZERLAND
Mukaratirwa@ukzn.ac.za
Tel.: +41 22 791 27 43
Mobile: +41 79 321 93 55
Fax: +41 22 791 48 07
magninos@who.int
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
8
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
Annex XXXV (contd)
Annex I (contd)
OTHER PARTICIPANTS
Dr Etienne Bonbon
European Commission
DG SANCO-D1
Rue Froissart 101
1040 Brussels
BELGIUM
Tel.: 32-2-2985845
Fax: 32-2-2953144
E-mail:
etienne.bonbon@ec.europa.eu
Dr Annamaria Bruno
Food Standards Officer
Joint FAO/WHO Food
Standards Programme
Vialle delle Terme di Caracalla
00153 Rome
ITALY
Tel. : (39) 06570 56254
Fax : (39) 96 570 54593
Annamaria.Bruno@fao.org
OIE HEADQUARTERS
Dr Bernard Vallat
Director General
12, rue de Prony
75017 Paris
FRANCE
Tel.: 33 (0)1 44 15 18 88
Fax: 33 (0)1 42 67 09 87
oie@oie.int
Dr Sarah Kahn
Head
International Trade Department
OIE
s.kahn@oie.int
Dr Gillian Mylrea
Deputy Head
International Trade Department
OIE
g.mylrea@oie.int
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
OIE ad hoc Group on Zoonotic Parasites / August-September 2011
9
Annex XXXV (contd)
Annex II
MEETING OF THE OIE AD HOC GROUP ON ZOONOTIC PARASITES
Paris (France), 30 August−1 September 2011
_______
Adopted Agenda
Welcome
1.
Update on relevant Codex work.
2.
Consider Member comments on draft Chapter 8.13. Trichinellosis and amend text as appropriate.
3.
Consider Member comments on draft Chapter 8.4. Echinococcus/hydatidosis and amend text as
appropriate.
4.
If time allows, draft a new chapter on porcine cysticercosis, dealing with the management of these
pathogens in animals in order to manage risks to human health.
5.
Any other business
_______________
OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Standards Commission / September 2011
©
World Organisation for Animal Health (O IE), 201 1
This document has been prepared by specialists convened by the World Organisation for
Animal Health (OIE). Pending adoption by the World Assembly of Delegates, the views
expressed herein can only be construed as those of these specialists.
All OIE publications are protected by international copyright law. Extracts may be copied,
reproduced, translated, adapted or published in journals, documents, books, electronic media
a n d a n y o t h e r m e d i u m d e s t i n e d f o r t h e p u b l i c , f o r i n f o r m a t i o n , e d u c a t i o n a l o r c o m m e r c i al
purposes, provided prior written permission has been granted by the OIE.
The designations and den ominations employed and the presentation of the material in this
publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the OIE
concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or
concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries.
The views expressed in signed articles are solely the responsibility of the authors. The
mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been
patented, does not impl y that these have been endorsed or recommended by the OIE in
preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned.